Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 572 Finding a Partner

The auditorium fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone turned around at the same time, including Gen Tamako, whose eyes widened.

Two seconds later, they reacted and quickly surrounded Mouri Nai, bombarding her with questions. Minamoto no Tamako couldn't even squeeze in.

"Did you deduce this?"

Why did we come to this conclusion?

Who do you suspect is the murderer?

……

Mouri waved her hands repeatedly, trying to explain, but couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Fushimi Shika suddenly appeared out of nowhere, waving his hand to stop the crowd. He stood tall and shielded Mori Nai behind him, shouting, "Who is the murderer?! Don't be afraid, I'll back you up. Point out the guy now! I'm going to interrogate the suspect thoroughly!"

He had also heard Mouri Nai's shout, and with his agile figure, he squeezed to the front and was the first to speak.

Everyone was stunned and fell silent for a moment.

"Well, I was just thinking that if the novel's plot were conceived this way, the subsequent developments would be even more exciting..." Mouri Nai was somewhat at a loss.

In fact, her judgment was correct. From the isolated island in "And Then There Were None" to the architectural mystery in "The Decagon House," from classic mystery to neo-classical experimentation, the locked-room mystery formula has always maintained its vitality in Japanese mystery fiction.

But nobody cares about that now; they just think Mori is in the way.

Please don't shout such things!

"Please, consider the occasion!"

"That's why women aren't suited for investigating cases..."

Distracted like this, everyone lost the desire to linger any longer.

While questioning Minamoto no Tamako, they had a vague idea of ​​what was going on and each had their own direction for investigation.

Staying here and just thinking won't solve the case, so Aoshima and Kanesaka Kotaro raised their hands at the same time, asking if they could leave the auditorium to investigate.

“Of course,” Gen Tamako nodded and said, “Everyone is free to allocate their time and investigate on their own. I’m sorry, the help we can provide is very limited.”

“This is enough.” Kanesaka Kotaro patted the booklet in his hand.

Qingdao, thinking further ahead, continued, "Wasn't it said there were four cases in total? When will the details of the next case be released?"

When Yuan Yuzi remembered this, she realized that she had spoken too soon, and it seemed that the investigators did not have the freedom to allocate their time.

She pulled out her notebook, glanced at the schedule, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Ah, well... we'll announce the next case tomorrow night, one case a day, for a total of four days, and we expect to finish on the fifth day..."

After saying that, Yuan Yuzi looked up expectantly: "Time might be a bit tight."

Her grandfather only gave her a week, two of which were spent inviting guests and preparing for the wedding, leaving her with only five days.

If we release one murder case every day, it seems like we'll only have one day left to investigate...

Yuan Yuzi realized this and felt extremely guilty.

There's nothing we can do about it. The actors that Kujou's family helped arrange all have available schedules, and coordinating everything within five days is already the limit.

"Only one day to investigate? How is it possible to solve the case?" Qingdao Yuan asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.

The others chimed in, but their voices were low, as if they were grumbling and pleading with the client to give them more time.

Yuan Yuzi also felt that it was a bit too harsh. After thinking for a moment, she decided to release all four cases at once... Let's skip arranging for actors to perform on location, as it doesn't seem to help solve the cases.

"no!"

Fushimi Shika reappeared, waving his hand to stop the crowd. He stood tall and shielded Minamoto Tamako behind him, declaring loudly, "A wedding that has already been arranged cannot be changed! This is all the bride's hard work!"

After saying that, he turned around and patted Yuan Yuzi on the shoulder: "Don't worry, no matter what, I support you."

Gen Tamako panicked a little: "Ah, thank you, Shika-kun, I'm very grateful that you're thinking of me, but..."

"No buts, I've rehearsed for two days, I have to perform!"

Fushimi Shika's attitude was firm. He looked around and continued in a tone that said, "You are all trash." "Besides, all the famous detectives in Japan are gathered here. Solving the case in a day should be a piece of cake for them... If they can't do it, it means they are nothing special, right?"

Then, Fushimi Shika said the next sentence to everyone.

Everyone looked at Fushimi Shika with a "what is this guy talking about?" look, and no one said anything to refute him.

"But……"

Yuan Yuzi wanted to argue further.

Fushimi Shika cast a spell again: "A famous detective should have the demeanor of a famous detective. Not everyone can get a reward of ten million yen. Those who lack confidence and ability should give up as soon as possible."

"..."

Yuan Yuzi didn't know what to say.

The novelist writes furiously in the background: The first dilemma the detectives face has arrived! The deadline set by the organizers for solving the case is almost impossible to meet. Will they back down? If they choose to rise to the challenge, how can they solve the case in one day?

Setting a time limit for solving the case seems to increase the tension of the story and keep readers engaged, which seems like a good idea...

The novelists were all smiles, but the detectives were frowning.

Michitaka Tsutsui hid at the very back of the crowd, bent over, pinched his nose, and deliberately spoke in a strange voice:

"This is too difficult, it's impossible to do. Mr. Fushimi, you're not trying to pocket the prize money, are you?"

No one looked back, because that was what everyone thought, and morale plummeted to rock bottom.

Seeing this, Yuan Yuzi took out a check from her pocket, quickly signed the amount of fifty million yen on the spot, and waved the check in front of everyone:

"I guarantee that if we solve the case, we'll get the reward! This check is cashable anytime; you can call the bank to confirm!"

Tsutsui Michitaka, his voice strained, changed to a different tone: "But the time you gave us was too tight. What's the point of making promises if it's impossible? It's like asking for the stars in the sky; even if you offer a reward of 100 million yen, we still can't give them to you..."

Tsutsui Michitaka talked so much this time that he didn't notice the crowd parting to the sides, exposing him to the sight of Minamoto no Tamako and Fushimi Shika.

As he spoke, he realized something was amiss, looked up, and felt a little embarrassed. Fortunately, he was thick-skinned, straightened his back, adjusted his attire, and said seriously, "As I just said, this is impossible..."

“No, that’s possible,” Kanesaka Kotaro interrupted.

"Huh?" Tsutsui Michitaka said, "Whose side are you on anyway? Don't waste everyone's time talking to yourself..."

"I stand on the side of truth." Kensaka Kotaro lowered his head and lit a cigarette. "Mr. Fushimi is right. Not just anyone can get a ten million yen prize. Those who lack confidence and ability should get lost as soon as possible!"

He spoke without holding back, after all, everyone else present was his potential competitor.

"It's easy to say, but how are you going to do it? Have you already deduced the truth?" Tsutsui Michitaka's last sentence was full of sarcasm.

Kotaro Kanesaka had already figured out the solution: "It's very simple, all it takes is two people working together."

He paused, then explained, "One person is investigating cases outside, while the other takes time to return to the auditorium to analyze new cases. Since all four cases involve the same culprit, what we need to solve is not four separate cases, but one case."

“Miss Yuan mentioned before that the prize money could be split equally. I’m willing to split it equally, and I’ll get at least 12.5 million yen. That’s enough for me.” “Two people, five days, solving a case—I think I can do it.”

Kotaro Kanesaka looked up, his pupils reflecting the flickering light of a cigarette butt: "Gentlemen, who wants to solve this case with me?"

Everyone was stunned by this aura.

The writers' eyes lit up; they had found some excellent material again, making the trip truly worthwhile.

The subsequent developments also met their expectations; the two forming a crime-solving duo is a standard feature of detective novels.

For example, Sherlock and Watson, Manabu Yukawa and Kaoru Utsumi, Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings...

"I!"

Mouri Nai was the first to raise her hand: "I'm good at organizing information and I'm willing to come to the auditorium to organize new cases... and I'm willing to take a smaller share! I, I only need ten million yen! Eight million is fine too! If someone is willing to go even lower, I'll always take half of their offer!"

Upon hearing this, everyone lost interest in competing for it.

It seems like the chances of solving the case are higher if you follow Kotaro Kanesaka, but no one wants to share the reward less.

Qingdao was somewhat disappointed. He had thought of this, but he didn't say it out loud. Instead, he planned to wait until everyone was disheartened before secretly choosing a suitable partner.

After Kotaro Kanesaka made it clear, Aoshima originally wanted to find him to be his partner. Two capable people might be able to create a synergy greater than the sum of its parts.

Unfortunately, Mouri beat her to it, disrupting the market price.

Qingdao Yuan even felt that it didn't matter whether the female writer wanted the prize money or not, otherwise she wouldn't have said something like, "If someone is willing to lower the price, then I will always be half of theirs."

However, Mouri also reminded him that a partner doesn't necessarily have to be the most capable.

People with too much ability will compete with each other, be wary of each other, and keep secrets from each other. If you have enough confidence in yourself, it is best to find an assistant who trusts you unconditionally, someone who works hard without complaint, and someone who makes you feel comfortable and at ease using them.

Qingdao Yuan looked around and observed his colleagues. He realized that anyone who could make a name for themselves in the detective business was bound to be cunning.

It seems that finding a writer as a partner is the best choice.

Some detectives have already realized this and have taken the initiative to leave and talk to the novelists.

The detectives gradually dispersed, searching for suitable partner beasts.

In less than half an hour, the group spontaneously formed teams of two and began to find a place to discuss the case.

Unfortunately, the number of guests is odd, which means that one unlucky person will not be able to find a partner.

Michitaka Tsutsui was that unlucky guy.

He cheerfully tried to team up with Fushimi Shika and Minamoto Tamako, but they both refused.

Fushimi Shika refused, saying, "We're a team, and we're full"; Minamoto Tamako's reason was, "If you team up with us, it might seem unfair to everyone..."

In the end, Michitaka Tsutsui had to solve the case alone.

He squatted at the entrance of the auditorium, casually picking at the grass in the bushes to vent his frustration, muttering under his breath, "What's so great about them? Famous detectives, bullshit! They're just a bunch of poor bastards..."

What kind of intelligence do they have? How can someone who can't even make money be considered intelligent?

Why bother with splitting the bonus equally? Only an idiot would split it equally!

Just wait, all 25 million is mine!
Tsutsui Michitaka stood up, already having made up his mind.

……

Inside the auditorium, after discussing the case, everyone set off to investigate the murder. Only a few people remained in the auditorium, abandoning the investigation of the auditorium shooting and intending to find a breakthrough from the subsequent cases.

Fushimi Shika and Minamoto Tamako suddenly found themselves with nothing to do. It was their wedding, but the bride and groom were completely ignored.

When she had a spare moment, Minamoto Yuko called Kujo Yui; she still hoped her mother could attend.

Unfortunately, Kujo Yui didn't answer; she was probably in a meeting and didn't have time.

Yuan Yuzi sighed and called her seniors again, but only Ya Lan answered, her voice sounding extremely tired: "Moshi Moshi?"

"Sister Ya Lan, did you receive my text message?" Yuan Yuzi asked.

She sent out wedding invitations to relatives and friends a few days ago, but not a single person has come yet.

really weird.

"Ah, I received it. Congratulations! You'll have to keep a close eye on Fushimi-kun from now on," Moriki Masaaki said.

Gentama thought these words meant, "If you miss this opportunity, you won't find such a good man again," and "You have to keep a close eye on your husband and not let him be seduced by other women."

Hearing this, she finally felt the reality of marrying Fushimi-kun.

Marriage is not just about two people living together; it's about two people's future lives being bound together, protected, witnessed, and blessed by the law.

From now on, she will become 'Mrs. Fushimi', and the plaque on her door will become 'Fushimi House'...

But Fushimi Shika might marry into the family. His grandfather had been hoping he would marry into the family, but he might change his mind before he died.

If Fushimi Shika were to marry into the family, she would become 'Mrs. Kujo' again, and the nameplate on her front door would read 'Kujo Family,' sharing the same surname as her mother and the Kujo family...

It feels a bit strange.

As Yuan Yuzi was lost in thought, she heard Moriki Aya's voice, but she didn't hear it.

"Moshi moshi? Is the signal bad?"

After talking for a while without receiving a response, Moriki Yalan couldn't help but ask a question.

"Ah, what's wrong? Something happened just now, I didn't hear you." Yuan Yuzi came back to her senses.

“…Nothing much,” Moriki Yalan said, “Happy wedding! Everyone has prepared wedding gifts for you.”

"Thank you! I'll be back soon." Yuan Yuzi subconsciously felt that her grandfather wouldn't live much longer, and she would unconsciously reveal this during their conversation.

"Aren't you going on a honeymoon?" Moriki Yaran asked.

"Investigating cases is the best honeymoon, Shika-kun will definitely love it." Minamoto no Tamako glanced at Fushimi Shika, covering the microphone and her mouth with her small hand as if she were playing beatbox: "Is the case on Cat Island still under investigation?"

Mori no Yaran did not answer directly: "Focus on the wedding. The bride shouldn't worry about things outside of the wedding... Okay, I have to go now. Talk to you later. Bye."

After saying that, she hung up the phone.

Genjiro closed her flip phone and couldn't help but complain to Fushimi Shika, "I have a feeling that everyone's been acting a bit strange lately. Has something happened in Tokyo?"

"It's nothing, what could be wrong? Don't worry about it..."

As Fushimi Shika was speaking, his phone buzzed. He didn't open it, but instead continued to coax Minamoto Tamako for a while before taking her to the makeshift restaurant for dessert.

While Genji was happily licking her ice cream, Fushimi Shika made an excuse to go to the toilet.

He opened his phone; the text message was from Watanabe Shun. That guy was still the same as always, worried about the network costs; the message was only six words long:
— [Abe Rokuro is dead]

(End of this chapter)